Back in 2011 the Fareportal team pledged a two year commitment to support the Punta Cana Foundation, an organization aimed at improving the health and well-being of local communities in the Dominican Republic. The Fareportal team recently purchased uniforms and shoes for 30 of the Punta Cana tennis center’s ball boys, and we are happy to see them in their new tennis gear! For more information, please visit http://www.puntacana.com/puntacana-foundation.html.

CheapOair, a leading online travel agency serving customers online, by phone, and mobile apps, today released data indicating where its customers are traveling for spring break. Destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean saw a significant increase in tickets purchased this year and a decrease in airfare cost between March 1 and April 15 over the same time period in 2013.

“There has been a strong interest in international travel this spring,” said Chris Cuddy, chief commercial officer at CheapOair. “Due in part to the harsh winter, destination like Puerto Vallarta and St. Thomas saw an exceptional increase in popularity, with travelers looking to go abroad finding great deals on CheapOair.”

Roundtrip airfare to Puerto Vallarta is averaging $592, down 4 percent over last year, while roundtrip airfare to St. Thomas, down 3 percent, is averaging $531. Cost of travel to both destinations is significantly less than $662, the average international airfare

Travelers looking for even better savings will find deals to U.S. cities like Denver and San Diego. Both offer flights under the domestic average, $330, as well as family-friendly attractions for both snow and sun lovers.

CheapOair, a leading online travel agency serving customers online, by phone, and mobile apps, was named the Top Performing Retail Agency of 2013 by Qatar Airways. The award was presented to Sam Jain, CEO of CheapOair, and Sanjay Hathiramani, senior vice president of supplier relations, by airline representatives Lisa Markovic and Arun Vyas.

“This recognition is truly an honor and clearly demonstrates CheapOair’s sales activation through effective marketing promotions for Qatar Airways in 2013,” said Hathiramani, who manages CheapOair’s relationship with the airline.

“We are happy to recognize the exemplary partnership that has developed between CheapOair and Qatar Airways,” said Markovic. “Their marketing efforts have helped connect Qatar Airways with travelers as we expand our destinations across the United States.”

In the United States, Qatar Airways currently non-stop flies from Chicago, Houston, New York, and Washington, D.C. to Doha and onwards to over 130 global destinations. Later this year, Qatar Airways will add three new U.S. cities: Philadelphia (April 2), Miami (June 10), and Dallas/Fort Worth (July 1).

“With Qatar Airways increasing its presence in the United States, and with its recent entrance into the oneworld alliance, we look forward to strengthening our partnership with the airline and helping them to sell their quality product in the years ahead,” said Jain.

CheapOair today launched a new mobile campaign, ‘APP-solute Getaway,’ that runs through June 2014 and offers travelers the chance to win a grand prize of 50 domestic U.S. flight vouchers. Entering is easy by downloading CheapOair’s free mobile app and following simple instructions.

“The APP-solute Getaway will show the value added by using our mobile app to book travel,” said Patriek Karayil, chief marketing officer at CheapOair. “Giving our customers the opportunity to win the flights that can easily be searched for and booked on the CheapOair app will reveal how easy it is to find airfare deals anytime, anywhere.”

Every month during the campaign, in addition to the grand prize of 50 domestic U.S. flight vouchers, CheapOair will give away an exotic vacation for two, including roundtrip flights and hotel accommodations, to a traveler who downloads the app. Destinations include:

Cape Town, South Africa on South African Airways

Sydney, Australia on Etihad Airways

Istanbul, Turkey on Turkish Airlines

Phuket, Thailand on Qatar Airways

CheapOair fans on social media will also be asked to share their travel photos and tips, with the best submissions published in a weekly roundup article on CheapOair’s travel blog. The fan content will show other travelers how to have affordable experiences in worldwide destinations, as well as how to find the best airfare deals. Fans who want to be featured can:

“Through this campaign, we are giving our fans a platform to share the destinations they find compelling,” said Karayil. “Featuring them as the experts, we will be able to demonstrate how customers can use the CheapOair app to book travel to their favorite domestic and international destinations on over 450 airlines.”

The CheapOair app is available for free from the App Store and Google Play, or by visitinghttp://www.cheapoair.com/mobile. To enter the APP-solute Getaway, download the CheapOair mobile app and follow instructions. Terms and conditions apply.

Fareportal participated in the 25th annual New York Cares coat drive by organizing a coat drive in its New York headquarters during the holiday season. The Fareportal team is dedicated to giving back to the community, and was happy to be able to help New Yorkers in need during the harsh winter months.